Movie composers worth listening to, part 2

This list continues from part 1.

Klaus Badelt

Badelt’s one soundtrack on the list is one that I love. Upcoming work includes Ballerina and Warrior’s Gate.

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (with Hans Zimmer)
    • The entire album, especially He’s A Pirate

Christophe Beck

Beck wrote some brilliant music for the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He’s at home writing gentle flowing music and in-your-face pounding music. Upcoming work includes An Ordinary Man and American Made.

  • Ant-Man
    • Theme from Ant-Man
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    • The entire album, especially Sacrifice (alternate version, from “The Gift”)
  • Edge of Tomorrow
    • Find Me When You Wake Up
    • Combat Training
  • Frozen
    • Elsa and Anna
  • Once More, With Feeling (with Joss Whedon)
    • The entire album, especially Overture / Going Through The Motions
  • Paperman
    • Paperman
  • RED
    • Rockets Eagerly Dispatched

Cliff Eidelman

On Star Trek VI Eidelman was asked to go in a different direction than previous Star Trek soundtracks and he did so brilliantly. It’s possible he’s retired — he hasn’t scored a movie since 2012.

  • Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
    • The entire album, especially Star Trek VI Suite / End Credits

Trevor Jones

Jones’ masterpiece is for a movie in which aliens are manipulating humans’ memories — the music is dark, brooding, and relentless. Upcoming work includes To Tokyo.

  • Dark City
    • The entire album, especially You Have The Power
  • Labyrinth (with David Bowie)
    • Underground
    • Magic Dance
    • Chilly Down

Michael Kamen

Kamen took the old song “Brazil” and brilliantly wove a soundtrack around it for Terry Gilliam. Some of his music is collected in Michael Kamen’s Opus.

  • Brazil
    • The entire album, especially Central Services/The Office
  • Don Juan DeMarco
    • The entire album, especially Dona Ana
  • Michael Kamen’s Opus
    • Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
    • Mr. Holland’s Opus
    • Circle of Friends
    • Crusoe
    • The Winter Guest

Dennis McCarthy

McCarthy wrote for several of the Star Trek TV series, wrote the theme for Deep Space Nine, and wrote the brilliant score for Generations. Given Generations, it’s strange that he hasn’t scored more movies. Upcoming work includes Momo.

  • The Best of Star Trek – 30th Anniversary Special!
    • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Main Title)
    • Suite from the Visitor: Rainy Night
  • Star Trek: Generations
    • The entire album, especially Star Trek Generations Overture

Ennio Morricone

Morricone’s soundtracks will instantly transport you to the world of the movie. He scored many movies for Sergio Leone. Upcoming work includes A Rose in Winter and Aline & Wolfe.

  • Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly)
    • Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (titoli)
    • L’estasi dell’oro
  • The Mission
    • The entire album, especially Gabriel’s Oboe
  • The Untouchables
    • The Strength of the Righteous (Main Title)

Alan Silvestri

Silvestri has written some very memorable pieces, and I particularly love his music for the Back to the Future trilogy. He’s composed several soundtracks for Robert Zemeckis. Upcoming work includes Avengers: Infinity War and The Croods 2.

  • The Abyss
    • Finale
  • The Avengers
    • Arrival
    • The Avengers
  • Back to the Future
    • Back to the Future
    • Back to the Future Overture
  • Back to the Future Part II
    • Chicken / Hoverboard Chase
  • Back to the Future Part III
    • The entire album, especially End Credits
  • Captain America: The First Avenger
    • Captain America March
  • Cast Away
    • End Credits
  • Contact
    • Awful Waste of Space
  • The Croods
    • Prologue
  • The Delta Force
    • Main Title
  • Forrest Gump
    • Suite from Forrest Gump

Tan Dun

Tan hasn’t been very prolific as a movie composer — he mostly composes and conducts outside of the film industry. His soundtrack for Crouching Tiger is very different than any other on the list.

  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
    • The entire album, especially Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Yann Tiersen

Like Tan Dun, Tiersen mostly works outside the film industry — he works with a variety of instruments and styles. His Amélie soundtrack is a combination of pieces he wrote previously plus some he wrote specifically for the movie.

  • Amélie
    • The entire album, especially Les Jours Tristes (Instrumental)

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 15th, 2016 at 1:10 pm and is filed under My thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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